Week 13: Geez, it’s hot!

Summer has arrived a couple days early, with scorching hot temperatures.

Today it was in the high 80s most of the day, then inching into the low 90s around dinnertime. I kept a close eye on them throughout the day, looking for obvious signs of heat stress.

Around 5 p.m., I went back out to check on the birds. The weather sensor I have on the coop registered 90 degrees in the shade. I took a close look, and immediately saw that Loretta was panting. Gigi and Nelli also had their beaks open, and Loretta was slightly drooping her wings in an effort to cool off.

Gigi spots a mulberry. Yum!

I grabbed the waterer, and brought it into the kitchen to refill it with cold water. To give it some lasting power, I placed a frozen water bottle on the inside before putting the waterer back in the coop. Then I ran up to the local market to buy cold watermelon. I know the girls love it, and I was thinking that eating something cold might lower their body temperature.

The girls rebounded quickly, and soon sauntered out for a stroll in the yard. It wasn’t long before they found a field of fallen mulberries on the ground. They munched for a while, most likely surprised by their good fortune. Watermelon AND mulberries in the same day???

It’s supposed to be warm tomorrow, too, so I bought an extra watermelon. The girls will love me for it.

In the garden

Baby cherry tomatoes are starting to grow.

A couple weeks in, we are starting to see growth in the garden.

Today we spotted several baby cherry tomatoes on the vine. Also we spotted a handful of flowers on the cucumber plants, which are now growing up high enough to touch the trellis. Did I mention the corn is knee high?

The greatest surprise is that the cauliflower plants now have baby cauliflowers growing in them. I don’t know how else to explain it, but there’s a small white ball in the heart of the plant. This greatly excited Matt. I took a photo and sent it to him, and somehow I imagine that greatly disrupted his morning at work. I didn’t want the cauliflower plants because, well, I hate cauliflower. But it’s Matt’s favorite vegetable, like, ever! So this development is huge, and a victory of sorts for him!